The Missing Piece
by Manake
Summary: Celty Sturluson has finally retrieved her head. However, the first day with it back is proving rougher than she ever imagined. Luckily, Shizuo's always there to brighten her day.


****EDIT** **Hey, y'all! :D So, this is my first fanfiction...like ever. And, yes, I am one of those awesome people who ship out of canon. It's funny, because I, like, NEVER do that! But for some reason, I really can't stand Shinra. He just...annoys me (sorry to all Shinra/Celty fans out there. ^_^') Anyway, I also ask forgivin's if I went OOC with anyone. I just went with how I felt the characters would've acted. So, enjoy! :3

***NOTE***Anything in [...] is a text message/Celty. Anything in '...' is a character on the other line of a phone call.

The Missing Piece

[Shinra, I have a surprise for you,] Celty types excitedly into her PDA.

Shinra shifts his body so that he was now facing Celty on the sofa. He had a large smile on his face, eager to see what the Dullahan's surprise was. "Alright then. What is it?"

Celty was nervous to show him what she was referring to, and hoped all the way home that he would like it. She slowly reaches up for her feline shaped helmet and even slower, removes it. Beneath it, to Shinra's sure surprise, was not the wisps of black mist he had come to love, but a lovely face, with bright aqua eyes and short mahogany locks. He recognizes the face immediately- it was Celty's head, except now it was attached to the proper neck. Except, to the young doctor, it looked like it didn't belong there. After all that time of seeing Celty without a head, seeing one there now seemed...wrong. His smile faded, as did Celty's. She types into her PDA, [What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy.]

Shinra sighs and looks into her eyes for the first time, but quickly looks away. "To be honest, Celty, I'm not sure how I feel. I mean, I told you before that you looked perfect without your head. I feel somewhat hurt that you didn't believe me." He hangs his head disappointed. "I mean don't get me wrong, your face is quite lovely, but you just don't look like yourself now. I'm sorry."

The Dullahan reaches for the keyboard to type a response, but lowers her hands and places them in her lap. Then, for the first time in twenty years, she speaks. "Shinra...I'm sorry you feel that way, but _my_ head is none of _your_ concern. I know that I can't change your mind about how you feel, but just listen to me. For twenty long years, I have been searching and searching for my head, and for even longer I have longed to know what it feels like to have it on my shoulders. And now that I know how it feels, I'm finally happy, even though I know it won't last forever."

"Wait, why?" Shinra asks.

"A Dullahan is physically incapable of keeping their head attached. I'm not sure why, but that's how it works out." She takes Shinra's hand gently in hers. "Don't worry. Give it a few months and I'll be back to my old self before you know it. It'll be fine, you'll see." Celty smiles at Shinra warmly, something she could do now that she had a face again.

Shinra smiles back, but it did not reach his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Well, it's getting late. I'm going to bed." He stands up and kisses her hand. "Good night, Celty."

"Good night, Shinra." She watches as he walks to his room. Then she leans her head back against the back cushion of the sofa and takes a deep breath. It felt nice having the weight there, and she was definitely going to enjoy it while it lasted. She looks at the time on her phone; it read 10:47 p.m. Even though she had just gotten home not too long ago, she felt like going for another ride. Celty grabs her helmet, walks out the door and hops on the elevator with Shooter, riding it down to the bottom. Oddly enough, she was in such a good mood that she even bopped along to the cheesy music playing in the elevator. Finally she reaches the ground floor, and she rolls Shooter out into the street. She put the helmet on her head, but then decided to ride with her visor up, wanting to feel the wind in her face.

Celty mounts the bike and whispers, "Let's go, boy." Shooter then lets out a long whinny and takes off down the empty street. Normally, Ikebukuro on a Saturday night was a freakin' nightmare to drive, but tonight was quiet and not as hectic. Celty swerves in and out of the traffic on the roads, using the highest evasion skills to avoid hitting cars and pedestrians. She and her trusty steed zoom along through the night, not really going anywhere in particular, until she sees a familiar building approaching quickly on her right. It was the apartment complex where her best friend Heiwajima Shizuo lived. Celty realizes now that she never told him the amazing news, which was odd because he was always the second person to know important things like this (the first being Shinra, of course). She pulls over toward the curb and parks underneath Shizuo's window, and smiles when she noticed his light was on. She lowers her visor, so she wouldn't spoil the surprise.

Shizuo was pouring himself his fourth glass of milk of the day when he hears a familiar whinnying sound outside his window. He walks over to see Celty sitting outside and waves down to her; he smiles as he does so.

Celty was the only person in the whole world with whom Shizuo felt he could relate. His whole life he had always felt lonely, because people usually avoided him since they were all terrified of his superhuman strength. Celty was the first person to accept him for who he truly was and didn't treat him like he was a monster or a freak. In fact, they grew so close over such a short period of time that he considered her his closest friend. However, recently he started to think of her as more than that. The way she listens to him and how she inadvertently calms him down when he's in a fit of rage means so much more to him than she will ever know. As much as he didn't want to admit it at first, he was falling in love with Celty Sturluson. But, there was one problem, and its name was Kishitani Shinra. Shizuo knew that her heart belonged to the doctor- the annoying, twerpy, blabber-mouthed doctor- and would respect that for as long as he could...even if it killed him.

Shizuo chugs his milk as quickly as he can before heading to the door and dashing down the stairs to meet Celty outside. He trots down the outside steps and walks up to the Dullahan, who was leaning against her bike. "'Sup, Rider?" he greets her.

Celty tried not to giggle, still keeping what was underneath the helmet a surprise. She takes out her trusty PDA and taps at the keys for a moment, then holds a message for Shizuo to read. [I have something to show you!~]

Shizuo was intrigued. He raises an eyebrow and asks, "That so? Well, what is it?"

And for the second time tonight, Celty slowly removed her helmet, this time giving her head a quick shake to fluff her hair out. She beams as she looks at his expression, which was a stunned stare, and finally got a giggle out. "I got my head back! Isn't that great?"

Shizuo couldn't believe it. Just earlier today there was nothing on her neck but elegant black smoke, but now...whoa. Now there was a _gorgeous_ face looking back at him, with beautiful bright eyes and a damn killer smile. And her voice, by _god_, it was like music! Never in his life had he heard a more beautiful voice. He gathers his composure and clears his throat. "Ahem, uh, yeah. Yeah, that's great, Celty. I'm really happy for you." Celty smiles again and he leans on her bike next to her. "So, how does Shinra feel about this?"

She wishes he had not asked that. The radiant grin shrinks down to a half-hearted smirk, and she heaves a deep sigh. "I don't know. When I first showed him, I thought he'd be happy, but he sort of surprised me. He said that I looked perfect before, without my head, and I tried to explain to him that Dullahans' heads can't stay on their bodies forever, but I feel like he still didn't believe me. I sort of hope he's better in the morning." She shrugs and pats Shooter's back end lightly.

Shizuo shrugs, too. "Ya never know with him, Celty. He was never really the easiest to read. But, I wouldn't worry too much, I'm sure the poor guy's just in shock, that's all."

Celty tilts her head. "Why would he be in shock?" she inquires.

Shizuo chuckles and glances over at her before turning his head away, "Because of how beautiful you are."

Celty raises her eyebrows at her friend. Did he really just say that? It was so unlike him. "Beautiful?"

He shrugs and peers back at her from over his sunglasses, his cheeks a slight pink. "Well, yeah, I mean, have you checked a mirror yet? I bet Shinra just needs a day or so to process his thoughts."

Celty's smile returns. "You're right. Thanks, Shizuo." She scoots over a bit and rests her head on his shoulder, a seemingly innocent gesture between friends, that means more to each of them than the other one knows. She nuzzles his arm slightly and says, almost in a whisper, "You always know what to say."

Shizuo gives a slightly nervous chuckle and replies, "Just trying to help."

Suddenly, the moment was broken by the sound of Celty's cell phone ringing. She stands upright immediately and looks at the screen. It was Shinra, probably wondering where she had gone. Celty sighs, "I'm sorry, I have to take this."

Shizuo shrugs and lights a cigarette. "Just do what you gotta do."

Celty answers the phone. "Hello?"

'Hey, Celty, it's me. Where are you?'

"I went for a quick ride. I'm at Shizuo's right now. Why, what's up?"

'Do you think you can come home? I need to talk to you.'

Celty sighs softly, "Okay, I'll be right there. Love y-" The line disconnects before she can finish her statement. She puts her phone away and puts her helmet back on. She looks up at Shizuo apologetically and says, "Sorry, I have to go. Shinra needs to talk to me."

Shizuo chuckles. "See? What did I tell ya?"

Celty shakes her head. "Yeah I know, but..." She pauses to gather her thoughts. "He sounded so serious just now. It seemed like something was bothering him. I hope he's alright."

Shizuo smirks and smacks Celty playfully in the arm. "Relax, I'm sure he's fine. Like I said, don't worry so much. Now go on, better not keep him waiting."

Celty nods and straddles Shooter once more. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Bye, Shizuo." She shifts gears, Shooter lets out a whinny, and the two of them speed off into the distance. Shizuo waves goodbye until she was out of his sights, then he walks back up to his apartment, his smoke still in hand.

Celty gets off the elevator and removes her helmet. She opens the door to Shinra's apartment, where he was sitting on the couch yet again, with a very serious expression on his face. Celty smiles, attempting to lighten the mood. "Hey, I got here as fast as I could. Is everything okay?"

Shinra sighs and pats a spot next to him on the couch. "Sit down, Celty. We need to talk."

No, not the "We Need to Talk" speech. She knew exactly where this was going, and she didn't like it one bit. Her feet were heavy as she made her way to the couch, and she descended gently onto the cushion next to Shinra. She folds her hands in her lap and looks indirectly at him, then prepares for the worst.

"Celty, we've known each other for quite some time now, and I know that we both have strong feelings for each other, romantically. But, you're not the Celty I knew when we first met. That Celty was dark and mysterious and cryptic, and only looked for her head maybe once or twice a week. Now, it seems like you're out every night. You became so obsessed, even when I told you you look beautiful and perfect without it. I feel like now that you've found it, my old Celty is gone forever. And...I don't think I can live with that. I'm very sorry, but I just don't love you anymore."

Shinra finishes speaking and the room falls dead silent. Celty had no idea what to say. He didn't love her anymore? What kind of bullshit excuse is that? He was going to dump her over a head that even she said he would get used to seeing in a few months time? She couldn't believe this was happening. Involuntarily, her hands begin to shake and her breathing quickens. She thought she felt tears forming under her eyelids, but she quickly sniffs them back. She was NOT about to weaken herself in front of him. Not now.

She sits up straighter, trying to instill a sense of dignity in herself, and gives him a hard look. "So, that's it then? You're breaking up with me just like that?"

Shinra nods slowly. "I am very sorry, Celty. If you want, you're more than welcome to stay here until-"

"No." She cuts him off quickly before he could say anymore. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. It would just hurt more if I stayed. Don't worry about me, I'll find someplace to stay for the night." She stands up and marches to her room, then packs what little she has into a bag she constructs from her shadows, and walks right back out to the living room. She picks up her helmet, puts her hand on the doorknob, and takes one last look at Shinra before saying, "Goodbye, Shinra. I'll never forget you." She dashes out the door without another word.

In the elevator, Celty lets a few stray tears escape her eyes. What was she going to do now? Where could she go? She knew there was only one person in the whole goddamn city she could call right now. She takes out her phone and dials an all too familiar number.

Shizuo's cell phone rings twice before he picks it up. Celty breathes a sigh of relief when his voice sounds on the other line. 'Hey, Rider. What's up, is everything okay?' He knew she never called unless it was an absolute emergency, even though this was the first time she was actually speaking on the other end.

Celty wipes her tears away as she mounts her steed for what she hoped was the last time tonight. "Uh, can I come over? Like right now?"

Shizuo senses the distress in her voice and his hand clenches into a fist. 'What did he do to you?'

"Shizuo, please, can we not talk about this now? Can I come over or what?"

His fist relaxes and he breathes a sigh. 'You know you're always welcome here. Of course you can.'

"Great, thanks, I'll see you soon." Celty disconnects the call and speeds as fast as she can from her current destination. She doesn't even bother to put her helmet on; she just needs to get away from _his_ place, and fast.

She reaches Shizuo's apartment in record time. After parking Shooter carefully outside, she runs into the buildng and up the three flights of stairs to Shizuo's floor. She only stumbles a few times before reaching his apartment, then gives five rapid knocks on the door. Shizuo opens the door and says, "You got here quick." Upon seeing his face, Celty throws her arms around him and completely breaks down, sobbing into his chest. This takes him by surprise, but he quickly shuts the door, places her bag on the floor, and lays the two of them down on the sofa, so she could let her pain out in peace. Instinctively he brings his arms into a protective hug around her and holds her close. He hated seeing her in pain, but knows he is the only person she can count on at this moment in time. He lets her cry on into the night, neither of them talking (or getting any sleep), and makes sure she feels well protected.

Celty was glad she could rely on Shizuo when times got rough.

The sun rises on Ikebukuro and shines through the windows of Shizuo's apartment. Celty's sobs had receded a few hours ago, and they were laying in silence on Shizuo's couch. The only sound that can be heard is the sound of his steady breathing. Celty's head is still on his chest, and she is enjoying the rise and fall of every time he took a breath, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart. Sometimes she envied him for that beating in his chest, knowing she could never feel it in her own. But, she never let it bother her.

Celty shifts her weight slightly and looks up into Shizuo's light brown eyes and a small smile touches the corners of her lips. She rubs her eyes and says in a groggy voice, "Good morning."

Shizuo smirks and looks down at the beautiful woman lying on top of him. "Morning. How are you feelin'?"

Celty shrugs. "Better, I guess. Thanks for letting me get all that out. Did you get any sleep?"

Shizuo chuckles. "Did you?"

Celty shakes her head, then buries her face in his shirt and her smile gets a little wider. "You stayed awake all night? You didn't have to do that."

Shizuo shrugs. "Yeah, but I wanted to. I needed to make sure you were gonna be alright. You were really upset and...I hate seeing you like that. Besides, I don't get much sleep anyway."

Celty chuckles softly. "Maybe that's why you're so tense all the time. It could be from lack of sleep."

Shizuo laughs and pats the top of Celty's head and saya, "If you say so, Rider." He closes his eyes for a moment. _'It could from a lack of something else, too,' _he thinks to himself. Shizuo then clears his throat and asks, "So, how about going for a ride? That always helps ya feel better."

Celty sighs and sits up. "I don't know. I mean, yeah a ride would usually be nice but...I'm just not in the mood. Maybe just a walk instead?"

Shizuo sits up and places a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever makes ya happy, Celty. We can do whatever you wanna do." He stands up and holds out his hand for her.

Celty smiles and takes his hand, rising from her seat and goes for her bag. "I just need to change my clothes really quickly. Could I use your bathroom?"

Shizuo nods and points in the direction of the bathroom. "Sure thing. It's just down the hall there." Celty heads in the direction in which he pointed. Shizuo walks over to his fridge and takes out an apple and the last bit of milk for his breakfast. He felt strange not offering Celty anything, but he knew she did not need to eat so he didn't have to worry about her being hungry.

Meanwhile, Celty reaches into her bag and takes out a pair of jeans and a dark red t-shirt, and then constructs a jacket to wear over it. After a once-over in the mirror and a quick hair fluff, she walks back out to the living room to meet Shizuo. She leans against the kitchen counter with a slight smile on her face. "Ready to go?"

Shizuo had just slipped a cigarette into his mouth when Celty walked out. Upon seeing her, it slips from his lips and his sunglasses slide down to the tip of his nose. _'Damn, she looks hot,'_ he thinks to himself. He has never seen her in normal street clothes before, but he had to admit they suited her. After a moment, he gets a fresh cig out of the pack and pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, let's go." Before departing, Celty grabs her phone and helmet. Shizuo looks at her, confused. "You sure you still need those?"

Celty averts her eyes to the floor and holds her helmet close to her chest. "I just don't think I'm ready to show my face in public yet. I'll get there eventually, but for now I'd rather keep on the safe side."

Shizuo shrugs and opens the door, motioning for Celty to go first. "Like I said, whatever makes ya happy."

Celty smiles and puts her helmet on her head and walks out the door, and Shizuo shuts it behind him. They walk down the stairs in silence, bumping hands a few times along the way. By the time they reach the last flight, Celty reaches over to take his hand in hers. Shizuo is taken aback by her cool touch, but accepts her hand and laces his fingers in between hers. The pair walk out of the building and onto the busy sidewalk, revelling in the gorgeous spring weather. They walk to nowhere in particular in perfect silence, just enjoying each other's company. They get a few strange looks from people, along with whispers of, "Is that Heiwajima Shizuo with the Headless Rider?" and "Whoa, Shizuo has a girlfriend!" He gets irritated after awhile, but Celty rubs his arm, gently squeezes his hand, and says, "Just ignore them. They're just being stupid and ignorant. Don't let it get to you." Her soothing voice and simple gesture calm Shizuo down immediately, and he stays calm for a few blocks until...

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Shinra walking down the street in the opposite direction. His eyes narrow upon seeing him and he breaks away from Celty, walking with determination and anger. Celty sees who Shizuo is walking towards and swiftly takes off after him, hoping he would not cause a scene on such a nice day. But, it was too late.

Shizuo calls out, "Hey, Shinra!" to catch the doctor's attention, and when Shinra turns around, Shizuo punches him hard, square in the jaw. Shinra collapses to the ground in sheer agony, because when you get hit by Heiwajima Shizuo, it fuckin' hurts. Shizuo doesn't even allow Shinra a chance to stand up before he kicks him in the ribcage, and then again in the side. Then he picks him up by his throat and squeezes hard, mildly strangling him. He proceeds to look Shinra straight in the eyes and say, through clenched teeth,"What the hell were you thinking breaking her heart like that? She loved you, did you know that? She loved you so much, and you just let her go just because she looked different! How fucking shallow can you get?" When the last statement escapes Shizuo's mouth, he chucks Shinra at least a block away, sending his body crashing into a parked truck. Shinra's body falls limply onto the ground, and he tries to stand up, but is unsuccessful. On the way over to him, Shizuo yanks a stop sign out of the sidewalk.

Shinra looks up at his friend (now former friend), and says weakly, "I'm sorry. I didn't know how much she was hurt. I didn't mean to break her heart."

Shizuo puts is foot on Shinra's chest and starts to put weight down upon him, making Shinra squirm and gasp for air. "Sorry doesn't cut it. She cried all night because of you. So now, I'm gonna do something I've been wanting to do since last night." He raises the sign above his head, preparing to send it straight through Shinra's chest, when he feels two very cool arms wrap around his middle. It's Celty, and she is shaking violently, almost as if she were crying. Again.

"Shizuo, please stop. It's not worth it, I promise you. Let's just forget about the whole thing, _please. _For me."

Shizuo is hesitant about letting the little bastard live until Celty said, "for me." He doesn't want to hurt her anymore than she already was. He sighs, "Fine. But _only_ for you." He drops the sign and strides slowly toward Shinra. He picks him up by the collar of his shirt and says in a low, almost growling, tone, "Now you listen to me, you little prick. Leave the city, leave the country, hell leave the goddamn continent for all I care! 'Cause the next time I see you, you're a fuckin' dead man. You got that?" Shinra gives a quick, nervous nod and Shizuo drops him, leaving him as a pathetic, crumpled mass on the ground. He then tugs Celty's arm lightly and says, "C'mon, let's go."

Celty looks back at the man she once loved and for a moment, she feels sorry for him. If she knew that Shizuo was going to react the way he did, she would never have shown any tears at all, even though she didn't keep secrets from him. She hears a faint groan from behind her, and she turns her head slightly and does not look at Shinra again, but listens to whatever he has to say. "Celty...I truly am sorry for hurting you. But, I hope...you find happiness...in everything you do. I hope, maybe someday...that we can still be friends. I'll never forget you, Celty."

Celty nods and smiles under her helmet. "Goodbye, Shinra," she says before walking away with Shizuo. She takes his hand once more and says, "Come on. Let's go down to the park. I like to go there sometimes to clear my head."

Shizuo just shrugs and replies, "Can't hurt, I guess." They walk further downtown before coming to the very place Celty spoke of. It's funny, Shizuo had been to the park before, and with Celty too, but he has never been to this area before. He can see why she liked coming here. It was the perfect place for someone to allow themselves to become calm and at peace. He sits down on a bench and looks out to the large, open stretch of grass before him. He smirks and says, "Gotta hand it to ya, Rider: you sure can pick your places."

Celty smiles and sits down next to him on the bench. "Thanks. I found this place a few weeks ago on my way home from a job. I'd had a lot on my mind that day, but just a few minutes here helped all the stress and trouble I was feeling just melt away. Since then I've come here when my mind gets too...chaotic." She lifts her visor up, still wanting to feel the sun on her face, but not wanting to show the rest of her face to any strangers around them. She closes her eyes and summons the courage to ask a question that had been bugging her since Shizuo attacked Shinra. "Shizuo...why did you threaten him like that? It was a little unnecessary if you ask me."

Shizuo lets out a small grumble and lights another cigarette. "It was perfectly necessary. He pissed me off and I decided to do something about it."

Celty scowls at him. She never had reason to before, but doing something like that to Shinra was very unlike him. "How can you say that? Shinra was your friend."

Shizuo just laughs right out loud. "Please, I didn't really like him all that much. Most of the time he just annoyed me. If anything, he was more of a...an acquaintance. He usually hung around me and I tolerated him."

Celty couldn't believe it. "An acquaintance?" He "tolerated" him? Where was this Shizuo coming from? She continues to say, "How can you say such things? How can you say that about Shinra after all he's done for you? Why-"

"Because he hurt you," Shizuo cuts her off. He clenches his fists and finally confesses to her what he's wanted to say for too long. "You're more important to me than anyone else in the world. You're the only person who makes me feel like I belong here. I know it may seem like it has nothing to do with this, but believe me, if I didn't feel the way I did about you, none of that probably would have happened."

Celty tilts her head in slight confusion. "What do you mean?"

Shizuo's cheeks turns a light shade of pink again, but this time he doesn't turn away. He takes her hands in his and looks deep into her eyes. "Celty, what I'm tryin' to say is...I l-" He is interrupted by the sound of his cell phone ringing. "Shit," he grumbles. He takes the phone out of his pocket and looks at the caller ID. He sighs and says, "I'm sorry, I have to take this. Hey...I'm at the park, why?...Ugh, right now? I'm a little busy...Fine, I'll be right there." Shizuo snaps the phone shut. "Dammit."

"Who was that?" Celty asks.

"It was Tom. He said he needed me on a really important job. He's not takin' no for an answer, either. I'm really sorry but I have to go."

Celty bows her head down. She doesn't want Shizuo to go, but she knows he has to. "Oh. Okay then. Go do what you have to do, I'll be fine."

Shizuo feels bad for leaving Celty all by herself, so he assumes the position he was in before he took Tom's call. "I'll tell ya what: I'll meet ya back here in half an hour. The job may be important, but it won't take long. I promise I'll get back here as fast as I can." Before he stands up, he lifts her right hand to his lips and gently kisses it. "I'll see ya soon."

If Celty had any blood in her body, she was positive she would be blushing, and her nonexistant heart would be fluttering. Shizuo just kissed her hand, and it may have been one of the sweetest gestures someone has ever made for her. She watches him walk away, and smiles as she looks at the back of her hand, as if she could see the mark of his lips on her skin. She then holds her hand close to her chest and sighs contently before lowering her visor over her eyes. Celty wanted so badly to actually take the helmet off and feel the warm sun on the rest of her face, but again, decides to play it safe.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, an all too familiar voice sounds from behind her. "Hello, Celty. Fancy seeing you here."

She turns around to see a dark figure behind her, with a smug grin on his face. _'Izaya,_' she thought. She reaches for her PDA and types, [I could say the same to you. What are you doing out here?]

Izaya puts one leg up on the bench seat and chuckles, "Just enjoying this fabulous weather, of course. So listen, I have a new job for you. It involves-"

Celty puts a hand up to stop Izaya from talking. [Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. It's something I've been meaning to say to you for a long time.] When Izaya cocks his head curiously, she reaches up to type something else, but decides she needs to say this with her own voice. "Izaya...I quit."

Izaya goes bug-eyed when Celty spoke. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "What did you just...say?" Celty takes off her helmet and glares at him with her aqua eyes. "How? How did you get it back?"

"That's not important," she snips. "What _is_ important is that you hold true to your promise. You said that if I got my head back, I was free to go. And, as you can see, I got it; _and, _as I already said, I quit. I'm not working for you anymore, Izaya." Celty continues to glare at him until he finally sighs.

"Very well, Celty. You win. I won't force you to stay if you really don't want to. However, I would like to invite you to come back to my place to talk things over. What do you say?"

Celty hesitates for a moment, not wanting to leave in case Shizuo came back before her. But she decides that she would text him saying she would be a little late. Knowing Shizuo, he would understand. She shrugs and stands up, grabbing her helmet and putting her PDA back in her pocket. "Sure, why not? But I can't stay long. I have to be back here in half an hour."

Izaya chuckles and says, with a sly grin on his face, "Don't worry, this won't take long at all."

It takes Izaya and Celty approximately fifteen minutes to walk back to his apartment building. After taking the elevator up to the top floor, Izaya opens the door to his apartment and lets Celty pass. "After you, miss," he says. Celty nods and enters, her helmet under her arm.

Namie is at her desk and says to Izaya, in a sarcastic tone, "Welcome home, Izaya-san." She then notices Celty, smiles slightly and says, "Well well, if it isn't Miss Not-So-Headless Rider. How are you?"

The Dullahan smiles back. "I'm fine, thanks." She waits for Izaya to walk past her and then says in a hushed voice, "Namie, thank you again. You have no idea how much I appreciate what you did."

Namie simply rolls her eyes and replies, "Don't mention it. I mostly did it just to spite Izaya, but I figured I'd help you out in the process. I must say, it was a pleasure sewing your head on for you." She is about to go back to typing on her computer when she asks Celty, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Izaya invited me back here to talk things over. I guess to negotiate the terms of my release."

Namie gasps. "Celty, I've heard him use that line before. I can tell you now, he doesn't want to just, 'talk things over.'"

"Celty, how about we let Miss Yagiri get back to work, hmm?" Izaya calls from his office.

"I'll be right there," Calty calls back. She turns back to Namie and says, "Don't worry, I'll be careful." She walks into Izaya's office and shuts the door behind her.

Namie pinches he bridge of her nose and shuts her eyes. She is concerned for Celty's safety, and she knew all of Izaya's dirty tricks. _'You fool, you have no idea what you're getting into. I...I can't watch this happen again.' _She picks up her coat and her briefcase and walks out the door.

Meanwhile, across the city, Shizuo gets a strange chill up his spine. He turns around and looks in the opposite direction he and Tom were walking in. _'Somethin' doesn't feel right.' _

Tom looks over at his bodyguard. He notices the troubled look on his face. "Something wrong, Shizuo?"

Shizuo turns back around and lights a cigarette. "I don't know. Just got a bad feeling." He decides to send Celty a text message, just to make sure she was safe. [Hey. How are you doing? You okay?]

Celty feels her phone vibrate. She checks the screen and sees that it's Shizuo, but decides she would wait a minute to answer back. Izaya pulls up a chair for her next to his desk and beckons, "Please, have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?"

Celty looks over at the shelf on the wall opposite her, seeing all the differrent types of alcohols he had stocked. Nothing caught her eye until... "Is that Jameson whiskey?" she asked in a thick Irish brogue that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Izaya raises his eyebrows, surprised. "Why, yes it is." He reaches for the bottle and hands it to Celty. He then asks her, "So, where did that adorable accent come from? You've never used it before."

Celty giggles and says, marvelling at the bottle, "Sorry. Just seeing the whiskey...it brought me back, you know? It's like a bit of home." She opens the bottle and took a long drink, savoring the sweet bite of the alcohol.

Izaya puts his hands up. "Whoa, easy there. It's not good to drink that much at once." He approaches her to try to take the bottle away, but she stops him.

"Relax, I can't even get a buzz. Aside from a slight warmth from the drink itself, I don't feel a thing." Celty takes another mouthful of whiskey, then puts the cap back on and sets it on the desk.

Izaya chuckles and sits in his chair, leaning forward slightly toward Celty. He places the tips of his fingers together and closes his eyes. After a moment he says, "So, I couldn't help but notice that you and Shizu-chan were getting a bit cozy at the park. Is there anything going on between you two?"

Celty clenches her fists slightly. She hated when Izaya called Shuzuo that stupid name, but she never let it show. She clears her throat and says calmly, "No. He and I are just good friends."

"You seem to care for each other an awful lot, though. And I noticed how tenderly he kissed your hand before departing. Are you sure there's nothing going on?"

Celty shakes her head. "There's nothing going on, Izaya." _'At least, not yet,'_ she thinks to herself.

Izaya sighs and replies, "That's too bad. You two would make a cute couple." Celty thinks nothing of it at first, but a malevolent grin spreads across his face as he asks, "Tell me Celty: how far have you gone? Romantically speaking, of course."

Five minutes had passed since Shizuo texted Celty. It was much too long a time for her to reply, since she always had her phone with her, and she always answered him right away, even when she was on a job. He starts to worry, and he unconsciously begins to quiver. He doesn't notice how badly he's shaking until he pulls out another cigarette but he can't hold the box still. He growls softly, the sinking feeling in his stomach slowly getting worse. "Dammit."

Tom hears his friend and looks over at him. "Dude, if you're not feeling it today, go home. I'll call Vorona if I need to." Shizuo still isn't sure, but Tom assures him otherwise. "Go, take care of what you need to. She and I can handle things."

Shizuo nods and says, "Thanks, man. See ya later." And he takes off in the opposite direction, going purely on instinct. _'Celty...I'm coming.'_

Celty's eyes widen. She wasn't expecting a question like that at all. "Excuse me?"

Izaya rolls his chair closer to her. "You heard me. How far have you gone? First, second, third, home? Which base are you on?"

She lowers her eyes, embarrassed. To be honest, she hasn't even been to first base (that being just kissing). The only reason for that was because she wanted to save her first kiss for Shinra when she got her head back. Of course, now it was too late. Regardless of how she felt right now, she stood her ground. "That's none of your business, Izaya," she says sternly.

Izaya isn't convinced. He laughs and says, "Well then, I guess that answers my question. You don't have much romantic experience at all, do you?" He chuckles and inches ever closer to her. He lifts a hand and brushes it lightly across her cheek. Then, in a quick motion, Izaya quickly and forcefully kisses Celty.

Celty is horrified and disgusted all at once. She manages to push herself away from him and makes a mad dash for the door. However, he catches her by the wrist and pulls her closer to him, and begins to whisper in her ear. "What are you so worried about? It won't hurt that much, and I'll be sure to make it nice and quick. It'll be over before you know it."

Celty tries to struggle free, but he somehow has a very strong hold on her which she could not escape from. In an act of desperation, she calls out, "Namie! Namie, help me!"

Izaya laughs. "She's gone, Celty. Namie left the moment I shut the door. So now," he reels her around to face him, "it's just you and me." He kisses her again, forcing his tongue inside. Celty gags and bites his tongue, and tries to escape again. "So, you wanna play rough?" This time, Izaya drags her back over to his desk and leans her over as he reaches one hand between her legs and the other groping her breasts.

Celty growls and screams and flails and kicks, but he does not release his grip he has on her. In a final act to get herself saved, she thinks, _'Shizuo, where are you? Help me!'_

Shizuo could swear he can hear Celty's voice in his head, and she is in big trouble. He grits his teeth and runs even faster in the direction he thinks the plea was coming from. Finally, he reaches his destination: a building with a familiar stench and foul aura around it. It's where that bastard Izaya lives. "No, it can't be. If he hurts her..." He bursts through the doors and runs up the stairs as fast as he can, not stumbling once. _'Don't worry, Celty, I'm almost there!'_

Izaya wrestles with Celty's pants button, then pulls them down around her ankles and holds her in place while he unfastens his own pants and prepares to take the one precious piece of her that she can never get back. He grabs a handful of her hair and pulls on it, tilting her head back slightly. Still grinning maliciously and says, "Now just relax and let me do all the work. And like I said, it'll be over before you know it."

Suddenly, outside the office, there is a crashing sound, almost as if someone had broken the door in. Then, just a second later, Shizuo comes crashing through into the room, his eyes full of rage. Celty gasps and cries out, "Shizuo!"

Izaya just chuckles and says, "Ah, you're here for the big show, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo starts to charge forward and yells, "You better not-!" But it's too late. With a single thrust, Izaya takes Celty's virginty, and Celty lets out a single, painful yelp. Shizuo is frozen in place, and Izaya laughs, "Well, you made it just in time for the main attraction." He leans down and whispers in Celty's ear, "See? I told you so. That wasn't so hard, was it?" He shoves her to the ground and rebuttons his pants.

Shizuo catches Celty as she falls, making sure to keep his eyes from looking down. He looks down at her shocked, horrified face, and then into the smug, malicious, monstrous, despicable face of that no good, low down, filthy worm he despises so much. He clenches his hands tightly into fists and growls, "How could you do something like that to her?"

Izaya just laughs and says, "Well look on the bright side: I saved you from having to do the dirty work yourself."

Shizuo snaps, and bellows louder than he ever has in his life, "I-ZA-YAAAAA! YOU BASTARD!" He charges right at him, tackling him with so much force that he sends the both of them flying out the window.

Celty scrambles on her hands and knees to the window, staring in disbelief at what just happened. "Oh, my god, Shizuo!" She quickly stands up and pulls up her pants, wincing at the slight pain between her legs, and runs out of the apartment and down the stairs.

Meanwhile, in their freefall, Izaya goes to reach for his knife, only to see that somehow, it's in Shizuo's hands. Shizuo grins and says, "I am SO gonna enjoy this! I'm gonna make sure that you never hurt Celty or anyone else ever again!" His eyes are burning with pure hate and anger.

Then, in that brief moment, for the first (and last) time in his life, Orihara Izaya was absolutely terrified of Heiwajima Shizuo.

**CRASH!**

The two men fall on top of a parked car, Izaya with his own knife in his chest, and Shizuo with blood on his hands and his fingers still wrapped around the hilt. After they crash land, Shizuo proceeds to punch Izaya's face bloody, deforming it slightly with the force of his strength. A crowd is slowly forming around the damaged car and everyone looks on in horror at the sight before them. The citizens of Ikebukuro couldn't believe it; Heiwajima Shizuo actually killed someone. They couldn't quite see the corpse, but some thought they recognized the black, fur-lined jacket. Unbeknownst to Shizuo, someone had called the police, and soon the sound of sirens would trumpet through the streets.

Celty finally makes it downstairs and pushes her way through the crowd. She had made sure to grab her helmet on the way, and she carries it under her arm. She finally finds Shizuo and climbs up on top of the car. She grabs one of his arms and pulls him off of Izaya's body, struggling slightly because he was still flailing about. "Shizuo, he's dead! You can stop now!"

To that, Shizuo replies, "No! I wanna send him down to Hell makin' him look like the disgusting, twisted monster her really is!"

"Shizuo, please, you're scaring me!"

In an instant, he stops. He turns around and looks at Celty's face. She really _is _scared, with tears brimming her eyes. He looks down at the damage he has done, then at his bloody hands, then back to her. "Celty, I'm sorry. I know, I got carried away, I just-"

He is interrupted yet again, but this tme by the sound of police sirens. Celty looks all around them, and within seconds they are surrounded. One of the officers speaks through a loudspeaker, "Heiwajima Shizuo, please put your hands where we can see them, and step down from the vehicle." Shizuo reluctantly did what he was told, not wanting to cause any more trouble.

Celty tries to stop him, but he just shakes his head and says, "It's okay, Celty. I'll accept the punishment for what I've done this time."

As he gets down from the car roof, Celty grits her teeth and says, "No. This isn't right." She hops down from the car as well and approaches the officer with the speaker. "Officer, please let him go. He's done nothing wrong!"

The officer just looks at her with a baffled look on his face. "And who are you to tell me how to do my job?"

Celty looks straight into his eyes and says, "I am the Black Rider of Ikebukuro." Immediately, there is an eruption of laughter from the other policemen, and all around her, ther are bursts of, "Yeah, right!" and, "Oh, suuuure you are!" Celty knows then what she has to do. She puts her helmet on her head, and summons her scythe to her hands. The crowd, including the citizens, becomes dead silent. Everyone believes her now; good. She looks back at the first officer, visor flipped up, and says to him, "This man may have commited a crime today, but it _was _justified. Nothing he did today was nearly as bad as what Orihara Izaya has done in the past...and present." With slightly shaky hands, she tells the story of everything Izaya had done: his work with the gangs, constantly framing Shizuo for crimes he did not commit, and, of course, what had occurred just moments ago.

When Celty was finished talking, the officer stands there awestruck. He had no idea that one person could be capable of doing so much bad, and he had seen his fair share of the stuff. "I can't believe it. He was getting away with all this crap, and it was all right under our noses." He takes a deep breath, then looks to Shizuo, and back to the Black Rider. He finally says, "Alright, I'm going to do this just this once. Let him go, boys." The other officers, still slightly confused, release Shizuo and get back in their respective cars. He turns back to Celty, eyeing the shadow scythe warily, and says, "Keep him out of trouble, you hear me?" Celty nods, and the officer leaves with the rest of his troop, while the M.E. takes care of Izaya's body. Meanwhile, the crowd of people dissipates and continue on with their lives.

Shizuo runs up to Celty and throws his arms around her. "Celty, I can't thank you enough! I can't believe you did that for me!"

Celty puts her scythe away and brings her arms up around him, pulling her mouth into a half-hearted smile. "It was no problem. I'd do anything for you. Besides, you didn't deserve to go to jail for something you should get a freakin' medal for."

Shizuo laughs, "If you say so, Rider. Now come on, let's go home."

Celty nodds and calls for Shooter, who comes speeding along the road and stops right in front of the two of them. She makes another helmet for Shizuo to put on, they get on the bike, and they take off for home. Shizuo wraps his arms around Celty's middle as they ride in silence, saying nothing. All the while, Celty's mind is racing, and she becomes very uneasy. But, she decides she wouldn't let Shizuo see. The both of them have had a long day and she doesn't want to worry him.

Meanwhile, Shizuo has a big grin on his face. _'I don't believe it! He's gone! That fucker Izaya is finally out of my life for good! I'll never have to see his smug little face ever again! And, best of all, I have an amazing girl to share all my free time with. This day couldn't possibly get any better.'_

Later that night, Celty is in the shower when she starts having those thoughts again. Her mind keeps flashing images of herself and Izaya in his office, and what he did to her. She presses her head against the cold tile wall, and tries to get a hold of herself, but she just can't shake the thoughts running through her brain. Frustrated, she pounds the wall once with her fist and grinds her teeth together. _'God damn that Izaya! How much more could he take from me? First he takes my head, then my freedom, now he takes my security _and _my virginity? Damn, damn, damn!' _She begins to cry, yet again.

Shizuo had just put his pajamas on when hears the thump on the wall, and goes to investigate where the sound had come from. When he passes by the bathroom, he hears Celty's sobs from inside. "Not again," he says to himself. He knocks on the door and calls, "Hey, can I come in?"

Celty tries to make her voice sound as normal as possible, "Uh, yeah."

He opens the door. "You okay in here?"

"Yeah," Celty lies, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Shizuo isn't convinced in the least. "Because I heard you hit the wall and I heard you crying through the door." He leans against the sink and continues to say, "Come on, tell me what's bothering ya."

In truth, Celty doesn't want to. She doesn't want to have to relive the incident just by talking about it. So, instead of going into detail, she sums it up. "I was really scared today, Shizuo. You have no idea how much."

Shizuo sighs, "I know. I'm sorry for going overboard with the whole killing Izaya thing."

"It wasn't just that. It was also...before you got there."

"Yeah, I imagine you were. I'm sorry for that, too."

"Why are you sorry? It wasn't your fault."

"It was my fault for not getting there in time. If I had gotten there just a minute sooner, I would have been able to save you."

Celty can't believe what she was hearing. _He _was sorry for _her_ screw up? She looks down at the drain, watching the water swirl down, and says, "Don't blame yourself for anything that happened, today, please. I should never have gone with him in the first place."

Shizuo had to admit, she had a tiny bit of a point. "What were you doing there, anyway?" he asks.

"He approached me after you left. After he saw me with my head, he invited me to his apartment to talk things over, I guess negotiate release terms or something. I can't believe I was so stupid to believe that!"

Shizuo turns to face the shower curtain, since he can't talk to her directly. "Celty, you listen to me: you are NOT stupid, no matter what you or anyone alse says. I mean, it's not like you knew what to expect, right?"

"Well, right, but I still should have known that Izaya would be sneaky enough to pull _something, _even if I didn't know what it was. I should have been more careful and not let my guard down. I-," her voice starts to break, "I really screwed up."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Celty! Nobody's perfect, believe me! And, I don't mind that you're flawed, and I accept all your little quirks. They make you who you are."

Still in a state of frustration and confusion, Celty can't see where Shizuo is going with this. "Why do you care so much?"

Shizuo just flat out says, "Because I love you!"

After a moment of silence, Celty shuts off the water and slowly peeks out from behind the curtain. "What did you say?"

Shizuo heaves a heavy sigh and tells her what he should have a long time ago. "I love you, Celty. I have since we first met, but it took me 'til a few weeks ago to realize it. That's what I started to say back at the park before Tom called. I've wanted to tell you for so long, but the moment never seemed right. And I knew you were happy with Shinra, so I didn't want you too feel like you had to choose. Just...I know you're going through a rough time right now, and I understand if you don't wanna rush into things right away. I just hope you think about it."

Celty can't believe it; Shizuo actually said that he loved her, and he decided to wait for an opportune time to do so. Now things make sense to her. Now she understands why there seemed to be tension whenever Shinra was in the room, and why he acted a bit differently around her than he had before. After another moment of silence, Celty says quietly, "Could you hand me my towel, please?"

Shizuo just smiles and says, "Sure. I'll give you some privacy." He hands her the towel and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

Celty pulls the curtain back, dries off, and puts her pajamas on. She then hangs the towel over the curtain rod and walks out to the living room, where Shizuo is sitting on the couch. She smiles upon seeing him and flops down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.

Shizuo smiles and puts his arm around her. "Feeling any better?"

Celty sighs, "Much better now." She snuggles into his chest and closes her eyes. "You know, Shizuo, I sort of had a feeling all along."

"About what?"

"That you loved me. Even before you may have realized it, I've always felt there was something more between us than just friendship. I always see a change in you whenever we're together, and that's the man that I see in you. I see you for who you truly are."

"Oh, yeah? Tell me then, what kinda guy am I?"

Celty rolls her eyes. "You're kind, funny, genuine, caring, and rather handsome. The 'tough guy' act is more of a facade, and part of your job. Sure, you're a little out of control with your temper, but you can't help that. Besides, it was that temper of yours that saved me today. I thank you for that, Shizuo." She takes his hand gently in hers.

He smiles and leans down to kiss her forehead. "You're welcome. You know I'd do anything for you, Celty." She nods. He chuckles and says, "So...you think I'm handsome?"

Celty "blushes" and says, "Oh, you remembered that, huh? But, yes, I do think you're very handsome. And before you say anything, no, it's not just the suit."

"Tch. If you say so, Rider."

Celty laughs and looks up at Shizuo. She looks into his eyes, and says softly, "I love you, Shizuo. So, so much." All of a sudden, she starts to cry again.

Shizuo gently cradles her beautiful, pale face in his hand and gazes into her eyes. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

Celty wipes some of the tears away and says in a shaky voice, "I don't ever want you to forget what my voice sounds like, and how I say 'I love you.' Because soon, I won't be able to talk again, and I won't be able to say it anymore. Sure, I could type it, but it wouldn't be the same."

Shizuo shakes his head and wipes the rest of her tears away. "That's ridiculous. I could never forget something like that. I promise you, no matter what, I will always remember the sound of your beautiful voice." He pulls her into a hug and kisses the top of her wet hair.

Celty looks up at him again, in the sweetest way, and traces her cool fingertips across his cheek. He shivers slightly, but smiles. Celty leans forward, little by little, and lightly touches their lips together. Not expecting the kiss, Shizuo pulls back and blushes. Celty asks, "Did I do domething wrong?"

Shizuo shakes his head. "No, you were perfect. It's just...I don't have much experience with this; with girls."

Celty tilts her head and says, "I see. Well, just relax and do what you think feels right."

Shizuo smiles and runs his fingers through her wet locks, strokes her cheek lightly with his thumb, and kisses her, making sure his lips weren't too loose or too tight. "How was that?" he asks after a few seconds.

Celty sighs, trying to catch her breath. She tries to form a coherent sentence, but fails miserably, so she answers his question by kissing him again, this time more passionately. Shizuo lets everything go, putting pure emotion into the kiss, but lets Celty lead him on. A few minutes pass, and Celty breaks the connection of their lips. "Shizuo, can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

She hesitates for a moment, but says, "I don't have much experience with this, either. Shinra and I never got far enough into our relationship to get to the romantic stuff. In fact, before today, I was still a virgin."

Shizuo wanted to be mad. He wanted to me mad at Izaya for doing that to Celty. He wanted to be mad that he could never be the one to "do the deed himself." But, he just couldn't bring himself to be. He's completely calm, because he knows Celty is telling the truth. Which means..."That rat bastard's been lying to my face this entire time! He said you two had done it already!"

Celty sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Of course he did. Fuck. Whatever, it doesn't matter; he doesn't matter. The only thing that does is that I love you, and if you want, we can..." Celty can't bring herself to say it, but Shizuo knows exactly what she means.

"You're sure? I mean, it's no rush. I'm willing to wait."

Celty giggles. "To tell you the truth, it's kinda your fault. The way you kissed me before, it made me a little...frisky."

Shizuo cocks an eyebrow and chuckles. "Well then, let's not keep you waiting." He stands up and scoops her off the couch, carrying her to his bedroom. He sets her down on the bed (which Celty thought was very comfortable) and sits down next to her. Again, letting her lead, he kisses her and reaches for the buttons on her top. She shows no sign of resistance, so he unfastens them one by one, then slips the pink material off her shoulders and lets it fall to the floor. He pulls out of the kiss and looks down at her exposed upper body, marvelling at how beautiful she is. Shizuo smiles and leans down to kiss her neck, which made her shiver. Celty grips his muscular arms and trails her hands up to his shoulders, then reaches down and pulls his shirt off over his head and onto the floor.

When Shizuo tries to lay Celty down, she stops him. "Shizuo, would it be okay if I were on top? I want to be able to stop right away if I can't handle this." She is still nervous about how she might react once they started, especially given today's traumatic adventure.

Shizuo nods and obliges to her request. "Not a problem." He rolls himself onto his back while she gets on top of him, but not until she pulls off both of their pants and adds them to the pile. Shizuo gazes up and down her naked body and says, "Damn, you are so gorgeous." Celty just smiles and leans down to kiss his lips, then down his neck and across his collarbone. Shizuo gasps and whispers her name softly, making her quiver with anticipation.

She sits up and asks, "Are you ready?"

Shizuo simply nods and strokes her face. "Only if you are."

She takes a deep breath. Then, holding his member, she eases him into her, wincing a little at first, but relaxes her muscles as he moves deeper inside of her. The two smile at each other and they begin to move, slow and steady at first, so that Shizuo did not hurt Celty. After a little bit of encouragement, he picks up his pace, moving deeper and quicker with each movement of his hips. He smiles at all of Celty's little sounds and gasps, and decides that he is going to enjoy them while they last, so long as she has her head. Finally, they reach their climax. Shizuo releases and moans softly, holding her hips. Celty gasps and grips his shoulders, her blossom contracting in a beautiful rhythm around his member.

Slightly fatigued and a bit sweaty, Celty collapses onto Shizuo's chest, trying to catch her breath. She eases him out of her and nuzzles into his chest. Then she sighs, saying, "That was amazing. I never knew I could feel this close to a person before."

Shizuo wraps his arms around her and kisses her head. "Neither did I. That was great." He looks down at her and asks, "Were you okay?"

Celty smiles and nods. "Yes, I was just fine. I think being with you just made me forget all the troubles I was having. Now, all I'll remember is being with you."

Shizuo smiles back and replies, "Glad I could help. I love you, Celty."

"I love you too, Shizuo."

Finally, for the first time in her life, Celty felt complete- not because she had found her head, but because she was lying with the man she knew she would spend the rest of her life with. She had found her missing piece.


End file.
